Ascension pipe cleaning apparatus in combination with a horizontal coke oven battery



RIC'. K'INZLER ET AL Nov. 25,1969

AscENsIoN PIPE CLEANING APPARATUS IN COMBINATION WITH A HORIZONTAL COKE OVENBATTERY INVENTORS, PA YMaND c. K/NZLEP 4! B 671.55127 c. MEST/ El? Z/czr PWM/wf Filed Sept. SO, 1966 United States Patent O 3,480,514 ASCENSION PIPE CLEANING APPARATUS IN COMBINATION WITH A HORIZONTAL COKE OVEN BATTERY Raymond C. Kinzler, Carnegie, and Gilbert C. Nestler, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignors to Koppers Company Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 30, 1966, Ser. No. 583,376 Int. Cl. Cb 43/06 U.S. Cl. 202-241 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for cleaning depository material from within elbows of ascension pipes of a coke oven battery includes a ram, pivotally mounted to a frame that is pivotally mounted to a larry car, the ram carrying a cutter head or abrading tool which is inserted into the ascension pipe and reciprocated therein to remove depository material from the ascension pipe elbow. The outer end of the frame carries a guide that engages the opening in the ascension pipe to insure axial alignment for the abrading tool.

This invention relates to apparatus for cleaning and decarbonizing and, more particularly, to improved apparatus for removing depository material within the gooseneck elbow of a coke oven battery ascension pipe.

The usual coke oven is equipped with one or more ascension pipes for each coking chamber, to carry the volatile products of combustion that are liberated during the coking process into the collecting mains that run along the sides of the coke battery. In passing from an ascension pipe into the collecting main, the gases traverse a gooseneck type elbow and change direction. The gases are generally cooled by spraying flushing liquor in the ascension pipe elbow, and carbon substances deposit on the internal surfaces of the gooseneck elbow, that tend to accumulate and restrict the ow of volatile products of combustion through the elbow.

Heretofore, the removal of such carbon deposits from within the gooseneck ascension pipe elbow was accomplished manually by inserting a chisel-like rod or tool through an ascension pipe lid opening, and chipping the carbon deposits from the interior wall of the elbow casting. Such cleaning is, of course, arduous and hazardous to operating personnel performing this task.

The present invention includes apparatus for cleaning depository material from an ascension pipe elbow, such apparatus including a ram, pivotally mounted to the larry car, that carries a cutter head or abrading means for removing the carbon depository material from the elbow structure when the cutter head is reciprocated in the elbow by the ram.

For a further understanding of the present invention and for advantages and features thereof, reference may be made to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which shows, for the purpose of exemplication, a preferred embodiment'of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of apparatus constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. l.

Referring to FIG. 1, the apparatus 11 is mounted to the frame portion 13 of a conventional larry car that travels along the top of a coke oven battery 15. A typical transverse section at an upper corner of a coke oven battery (FIG. 1) includes a collecting main (conduit) 17, a vertical ascension pipe or stand pipe 19 that communi- 3,480,514 Patented Nov. 25, 1969 ICC cates with an off-take duct 21 in the top 15 of the coke battery, and an elbow structure 23 that is connected to both the ascension pipe 19 and the collecting main 17. The collecting main 17 also includes the usual liquor seal valve (not shown) that cooperates with a downwardly extending riser pipe 27 within the collecting main, that cooperates with the elbow structure 23 in the usual manner.

The frame portion 13 of the larry car supports the apparatus 11 adjacent one side of the larry car in the case of a single collecting main, or when two gas collecting mains are used, the larry car frame 13 supports two apparatus 11 on each side of the car. The apparatus 11 is adapted to cooperate most readily with the type of elbow 23 illustrated in FIG. l, but, however, such apparatus may be readily used with other conventional gooseneck ascension pipe elbows.

The elbow structure 23 has a first vertical downwardly extending leg portion 29 having a flange 31 that connects to the upper anged end of the ascension pipe 19. The elbow 23 has, also, a second integrally formed angularly extending leg portion 33 having a downwardly curving end that is enlarged, as at 35, to slidingly fit within the inner surface of the vertical duct 27. In the central portion 37 of the elbow 23, where the rst 29 and second 33 leg portion join, there is provided the usual access openings 39 that vents the oven 15 to atmosphere when the usual elbow cover or cap valve 41 is opened. The opening 39 also affords access to the elbow 23 for the cleaning tool of the invention.

Associated with the second leg portion 33 are diametrically opposed bosses 36 in each of which there is a hole 38 to receive a conventional flushing spray nozzle (not shown). The axes 22 |(FIG. 2) of the holes 38 are directed angularly toward the central vertical plane of the elbow 23, and the flushing liquor sprays converge in the vicinity of a point 24 where the vertical axis 26 of the riser pipe 21 intersects the axis 28 of the second leg portion 33.

As may be noticed from FIGS. 1 and 2, the cleaning apparatus 11 includes a iirst ram 43, extending from one end of which is a rod 45 that carries a cleaning head 47. The lirst ram 43 has, at the other end, a clevis 49 that mates with a tongue 51 carried by a cradle 53. The tongue 51 cooperates with the clevis 49 in a swivel type bearing 55 and the cradle 53 is pivotally mounted to a horizontal shaft 57 journalled in bearings 59 that are xed to a support structure `61. The support structure 61, preferably, is mounted at the edge of the larry car frame 13, and the cleaning apparatus 11, extending outwardly from the larry car frame 13, is pivotally actuatable in a Vertical plane that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the larry car.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cleaning or abrading head 47 is comprised of an outer first circular disc 47a that has on the peripheral edge a plurality of teeth 47b that are similar to the teeth on a conventional circular saw blade. The cleaning head 47 also carries a concentric slightly smaller inner second circular disc 47e that serves as a support for the thin ilat rst circular disc 47a. Four mounting lugs 47d are provided on the second circular disc 47C for the purpose of mounting a cruciform arrangement of bars 47e that are mounted to the end of the rod 45.

While in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cleaning or abrading head 47 carries a circular disc 47a having a plurality of teeth 47b, in some applications, other forms of cleaning heads may be employed if they are preferred, such as llat individual scraper blades or knives, wire rods, wire brushes, and the like.

The cradle 53 is comprised of a T-shaped main body portion 63, the stern portion 65 of the T-shaped main 3 body extending below the flat T-head portion 67. The end of the T-shaped main body portion 63 nearest the support `61 abuts a rectangular end plate 69 to which is fixed the tongue 51 that is also mounted to the T-head portion 67.

The clevis 49, referred to hereinbefore, mates with the tongue 51, and they are pivotally connected, as by a pin 52, so that the cylinder assembly 43 may be easily disconnected from the cradle 53 whenever repairs or replacement of it is desired. The other end of the main body portion 63 abuts a semi-circular end plate 71 that has, in a flat edge thereof, a rectangular notch 73 (FIG. 2).

Extending lengthwise of the apparatus 11, from the semi-circular notched end 71, is a hemcylindrical shell 75 that serves as a guide and support for the cutter head 47 of the apparatus when the shell 75 rests on the lower edge portion of the opening 39. A pair of brackets 77 are fixed to the notched-end plate 71 and the flat T-head portion 67 to support the shell 75 and the end plate 71 when the apparatus is placed in service.

The ram -43 is also provided with a pair of diametrically opposed guide rods 79 that are mounted to the ram in swivel-type bearings 81, and that are supported along the length thereof in guide blocks 83. The guide blocks 83 are fixed to the flat T-head portion `67, as by welding or in any other suitable manner. The free ends of the guide rods 79 extend through slightly larger sized openings in the rectangular end plate 69.

One end of the horizontal shaft 57 projects beyond one of the bearings 59 and, to the shaft extension, there is fixed a crank arm 85 which is pin connected as at 87 to a clevis portion 89 of rod 91 extending from a second ram 93. The ram 93 is pivotally connected, as at 95, to a fixed abutment 97 that may be bolted or otherwise suitably fastened to the larry car frame 13.

On the shaft 57, adjacent to the midlength portion thereof, there is xedly mounted a locking arm 99 that is generally rectangular in shape. The locking arm 99 pivots in a clockwise direction from the operative position of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, to the stowed position, or inoperative position, indicated by the dotted lines in FIG. 1. As the locking bar 99 approaches the bottom or stowed position, it may engage a suitable latching mechanism such as a solenoid operated latching device 101 that engages the locking bar 99 and maintains it and the other pivotable portion of the apparatus in the stowed position. When the latch is released, the cleaning apparatus 11 is ready for use and may be pivoted downwardly to the operating position shown in FIGS. l and 2.

In operation, the larry car moves along the top 15 of the coke oven battery over the coking chambers to refill the empty coke chambers with a fresh supply of coal. As often as the larry car stops to refill a coking chamber, the apparatus 11, being in a position opposite the ascension pipe leading from the coking chambers, may be used at the same time to clean the ascension pipe elbow or elbows if two are provided for each coking chamber. Operating personnel at rst pivot upwardly the hinged elbow cover 41 and the operator of the larry car then releases the latched device that holds the cleaning apparatus 11 in the stowed upward position.

The cleaning apparatus 11, under the influence of the second ram 93, pivots downwardly until the guide shell 75 engages the lower arcuate portion of the opening 39 and the end of the shell 75 projects into the elbow.

The cleaning apparatus 11 is then in substantial alignment with the axis 28 of the second leg portion 33 of the elbow. The operator then actuates the ram 43 and moves the cleaning head 47 through the opening 39 and into the elbow 23. The cleaning head 47 may thereafter be reciprocated within the elbow, forward and backward, along the axis 28, and the teeth 47b on the circular disc 47a contact and effectively remove any carbon depository matter from the inner walls of the elbow. During the reciprocation of the cleaning head 47, it may be pivoted vertically, as necessary, by actuating the second ram 93 so that the teeth 47b of the cleaning head 47 may contact the entire inner surface of the elbow 23.

After the cleaning head 47 has performed its task at any one elbow, it may be withdrawn by actuating the ram 43 in the reverse direction to Withdraw the cleaning head from the elbow and pivot the apparatus 11 upwardly by actuating the ram 93 in the reverse direction. Then the larry car may be moved along the top of the coke oven battery to the next coking chamber that needs to be refilled and the ascension pipe elbows at this chamber may be cleaned at the same time in the manner described herein.

A feature of the present invention is that the cleaning apparatus is pivotally mounted to the larry car frame and is ready for use by merely pivoting it from a stowed inoperative position to an operative position.

A feature of the present invention is that the cleaning apparatus may be operated remotely by the larry car operation; manual operation of the cleaning apparatus is eliminated.

A feature of the present invention is that the cutter head or abrading head is not power-rotated. Thus, an electric motor, and gear reducer if used, are eliminated from the cleaning apparatus.

Although the invention has been described herein with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only as an example and that various modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a horizontal coke oven battery having a larry car that is movable along the top of said battery for charging coal into respective coking chamber, apparatus for cleaning an ascension pipe elbow connected to one of said coke oven chambers, comprising:

(a) a support mounted to said larry car;

(b) a cradle having a guide at one end mounted to ya shaft on said support for movement in the vertical plane of said elbow;

(c) rst ram means mounted to said cradle and having a piston rod extending therefrom;

(d) abrading means mounted directly on the free end of said piston rod and reciprocable with said piston rod;

(e) a locking arm mounted to and rotatable with said shaft;

(f) latching mechanism mounted to said support that is engageable with said locking arm to maintain said cradle in au inoperative position;

(g) means to release said latching mechanism;

(h) guide rods connected to said ram and to said frame for guiding said ram as said abrading head is reciprocated; and

(i) means for pivoting said frame so that said abrading head is extendable into said elbow whereby as said abradng head is reciprocated within said elbow and as said frame is pivoted, said abrading head contacts depository material on the inner Wall of said elbow and removes the same.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the means for pivoting said frame includes a second ram thatis pivotally connected to said larry car.

3. In a horizontal coke oven battery having a larry car that is movable along the top of the battery for charging coal into respective coking chambers, apparatus for cleaning an ascension pipe elbow having an opening therein connected to one of said coke oven chambers comprising:

(a) a support mounted to said larry car;

(b) a frame pivotally mounted to said support and having a guide at its outer end;

(c) means to pivot said frame from a first inoperative position to a second operative position so that its outer guide end is engageable with the opening in said ascension pipe;

(d) an abrading tool mounted to the rod of a cylinderpiston assembly secured to said frame in such a way that said tool is reciprocable into and out of said ascension pipe; and,

(e) means to reciprocate said piston rod so that said abrading tool reciprocates and contacts the inner surface of said ascension pipe to remove deposited material therefrom.

4. The structure of claim 3 including:

(a) a locking bar secured to said frame and pivotal therewith; and

(b) releasable means on said support that is engageable with said locking bar to secure and hold said frame in the first inoperative position.

5. The structure of claim 3 including:

(a) crossed bars secured to said rod, with said abrading tool 'being mounted to said bars.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,931,060 4/1960 Kelly 15-104.1 3,049,738 8/ 1962 Randell et al. 15--5 3,196,088 7/ 1965 Coleman et al. 202-241 FOREIGN PATENTS 147,282 10/1962 U.S.S.R.

WILBUR L. BASCOMB, JR., Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 

